Explaining the Unexplainable

No call, no show

I make it to Briggs' house at 7:53 still looking like yesterday. Thank God we aren't opening the shop until 12pm today. I can get a little sleep in time AND a shower. I ring the door bell and step back. Silence hits the morning air where you can only hear the birds and a couple cars pass by on Stephenson Rd behind the tall Oak Trees. Sigh. Is anyone going to answer the door?! I wait for a long three minutes before ringing the doorbell again. No answer. I smack my teeth and walk back to the driver's side of my 2011 Ford Fusion. Scrambling through a couple of receipts in my cup holder I finally get a hold of my phone and call Briggs. His phone rings once before going straight to voicemail. WHAT THE HELL!!! See!! Un-UH! Don't nobody got time for his bullshit today!

I hop out my car, slam my door and ring this fool's doorbell one more time. Finally someone starts to unlock the door and it opens revealing a woman with gorgeous chocolate skin with silk pajamas and a hair bonnet. Her eyes shut quickly when the door opens making her place her right hand over her eyes to block the sun.

"Good morning Aisha!" Briggs' mother says in her strong Liberian accent and her raspy morning voice.

"Good morning Wendy. Is Briggs here? I'm supposed to pick up Riley before he goes to work at nine."

She rolls her eyes. "Did you call him?"

I stick my neck out and then my hand out half way with a confused look. "Yeah. No answer..why?"

"He left here at six thirty and dropped her off at school. He said he had to run some errands this morning."

Sooo you mean my black ass got up for nothing?! If I could teleport to the inside of his car I would grab his steering wheel making him run off the road. "Thanks."

"No problem," she says before closing her door gently.

I swear this boy never ceases to amaze me. Why not call me? Why not shoot me a text?! He has no consideration for anyone's time. There has been times where I would meet him before I had to be to work and he would show an hour late talking about he was across town and got caught up. Don't get me wrong though. He's an awesome father. He's great with Riley and always protective of her, but aside of the time consideration, financially he's no help. Like right now I have a receipt in my cup holder from me cashing a twenty five dollar money order he gave me..which is cool..but not to last me for a whole month. Not considering I pay 130 a week for daycare and buy groceries for her to eat. Those expenses are aside of my car note and insurance. Don't let her ass grow a couple inches and her feet get longer..that's money for clothes. I was working three jobs at one point trying to provide for her and my bills with no help. What's his excuse? He has none. He just slaps me in my face by pulling up in new cars and new clothes. Oh yeah and calling me a bitch every time I remind him of how stressed out I am about him not helping me. I don't ask for much! I mean we laid down and had this baby together right? Yeah, whatever. My Aunt keeps telling me to put him on child support. I've always viewed it as something bad but shit! I'm now seeing that it's moral support from the other parent. I need that! Sometimes I wish his mother would understand where I'm coming from and talk to him. She's a single mother as well..but I guess she just doesn't see it for what it is.
———
I pull up to my job with thirty minutes to spare. The parking lot is surprisingly not as full as I thought. I open my middle console and pull out a Blue Game rapper with a blunt roach that's the length of the second mark of my pinky. I spark up and let my seat back. It's so beautiful today. Leaning up, I pull my sunroof cover back and lay back down in my seat.

Buzzing, I walk in the salon and lay my bag on my station. Expecting to see Raven in the back I get thrown off by my coworker who walks out the dispensary.

"Hey Tiana!"

"Hey Aisha! How are you boo?" She embraces me with a tight hug. I thank God for allowing me to work as a Beauty Advisor. I literally know any fragrance by smell and her body chemistry is bomb with that Michael Kors Coral!

"I'm good, and you? I smell that Coral honey!"

We both laugh before she replies. "Great! Just tired as hell but I'll get through it."

"That's good to hear." I look around, "where's Raven?"

"Girl probably in bed knocked out! I got a text from a weird number this morning telling me to come in for her today. Sooo here I am. She probably got drunk last night and didn't feel like coming in."

She didn't drink last night and we went to bed around one. That's odd. Maybe she felt awkward about what happened last night. I hope I didn't offend her or anything. I just didn't want that burden on me when I woke up in the morning. Damn..I feel kind of bad now. She didn't have to not show up to work. I guess that's why they say don't mix business with pleasure. Trying to play things off I say "oh okay! Did you count the drawer already?"

"Yeap! We are all locked and loaded ready to make this schmoney!"

"Ayyyeee! Leh'go!"
———
After picking up Riley I stop at McDonald's to get her a happy meal before heading home. I don't know. I still feel a little uneasy about the whole Raven thing. Maybe I should call her..we can't avoid each other! I dial her number leaving the drive through almost crashing trying to eat a fry with one hand and holding my phone in the other using my knee to turn the steering wheel. Hmm..no answer. Well Tiana did say she texted her from another number maybe I should call her on there. I shoot Tiana a text asking for the number. She replies quickly with the digits and I hurry and dial it while I'm at a red light. It rings three times before an answer.

"Hello?" I choke before hanging up. My heart sank to my feet. I can see tunnel vision as I recognize Tye's voice. My heart starts to do palpitations as I replay him saying "call me tonight" in the office and know that she didn't call him at all last night. Ughhhhhhh!